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Jean-Claude Killy resigns as IOC member after overseeing successful Sochi Olympic Winter Games

28/03/2014

IOC President praises Killy, calling him a “sporting legend”

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Jean-Claude Killy has announced that he is stepping down as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after two decades of service to the Olympic Movement.

The 70-year-old Alpine ski legend joined the IOC in 1995. He was a member of a number of IOC commissions, most recently chairing the Coordination Commission for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi in 2014 (2007-2014).

IOC President Thomas Bach, who was informed of Killy’s decision some months ago, said Killy had had a profoundly positive impact on the Olympic Movement, both as an athlete and as an administrator.

“On behalf of the entire Olympic Movement I would like to express our sincere thanks and great appreciation for Jean-Claude’s outstanding achievements throughout his Olympic career,” President Bach said. “Having already been a sporting legend as an athlete, he later dedicated himself to the IOC, its values and ideals – also with great success. In this respect, I could mention many of his accomplishments, but I know that he himself would consider his unique contribution to the fantastic success of the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games as his greatest achievement. Jean-Claude was a great ambassador of the Olympic ideals and I thank him for his many years of excellent service to the Olympic Movement.”

Killy is best known for winning three gold medals at the Grenoble 1968 Olympic Winter Games. He also won the World Skiing Championships three times between 1966 and 1968, was crowned Professional World Champion in 1973 and twice won the World Cup (1967 and 1968).

He was a member of the following IOC Commissions: Coordination for the XVIII Olympic Winter Games in Nagano in 1998 (1992-1998), Sport and Environment (1996), Finance (1998-2014), “IOC 2000” (Executive Committee, 1999), and IOC 2000 Reform Follow-up (2002). Killy was also the Vice-Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the XIX Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2002 (1996-2002), and Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the XX Olympic Winter Games in Turin in 2006 (2000-2006).

President Bach will propose that Killy be made an honorary IOC member at the next IOC Session in Monaco in December.